This invention relates to a fuel supply assembly including a pair of carburetors with separate throttle shafts having axes of rotation in general alignment, and a device for flexibly coupling the carburetor throttle shafts for common rotation.
Attention is directed to the following U.S. patents:
Murphy, U.S. Pat. No. 2,246,750, issued June 24, 1941;
Batcher, U.S. Pat. No. 2,580,000, issued Dec. 25, 1951;
Beechler, U.S. Pat. No. 2,591,769, issued Apr. 8, 1952;
Weaver, U.S. Pat. No. 2,724,251, issued Nov. 22, 1955;
Moody, U.S. Pat. No. 2,903,867, issued Sept. 15, 1959; and
Seckerson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,346,704 issued Sept. 12, 1967.
Attention is also directed to German Pat. No. 570,282 and to Great Britain Pat. No. 517,635.
Attention is also directed to an article concerning couplings contained in the June 30, 1983 issue of MACHINE DESIGN appearing at pages 58-64.
The invention provides a fuel supply assembly including two carburetors having a pair of separate carburetor throttle shafts which may be axially offset or out of alignment, and a generally U-shaped flexible coupling for connecting the pair of separate carburetor throttle shafts. The coupling includes a bight connected to a pair of legs each having a free end including a generally U-shaped member having a pair of arms with apertures for receiving one of the carburetor throttle shafts, each of the U-shaped members also including an arcuate bight having arcuate side portions separated by a centrally located slot communicating with the arm apertures, and also including clamping means for squeezing together the arcuate side portions of the arcuate bight to reduce the opening size of the slot and arm apertures, whereby the pair or arms of each of the U-shaped members engages a separate one of the carburetor throttle shafts so that the pair of carburetor throttle shafts are flexible coupled for common rotation.
The invention also provides a generally U-shaped flexible coupling for connecting a pair of separate carburetor throttle shafts which may be axially offset or out of alignment, the coupling having a structure substantially the same as the coupling included within the fuel supply assembly discussed above. Also, the invention provides a generally U-shaped flexible coupling for flexibly connecting a pair of rotatable members having generally aligned axes of rotation.
In one embodiment, the clamping means for each of the U-shaped members includes a bolt extending through the U-shaped member, generally transverse to the carburetor throttle shaft, and adjacent to the arcuate side portions of the arcuate bight, the bolt including, at one end thereof, a head, and, at the other end thereof, a threaded portion, with the clamping means also including a nut which threadingly engages the threaded portion to squeeze together the arcuate side portions to reduce the opening size of the slot and arm apertures. Each of the U-shaped members preferably includes locking means for locking the nut against rotation when the bolt is threadingly engaged and tightened within the nut.
Also in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, one of the carburetor throttle shafts includes an end with a flat which extends through the aperture in one of a pair of arms of one of the U-shaped members, and the one arm includes a matching flat extending into the aperture, thereby preventing rotation or displacement of the one throttle shaft relative to the coupling, and controlling the arc which the coupling travels through as the one throttle shaft rotates. The carburetor throttle shafts each include a throttle valve mounted thereon, and the other one of the U-shaped members includes a pair of arms with generally circular apertures so that the coupling can be used to synchronize the rotational position of the throttle valves mounted on the throttle shafts.
Also in accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the U-shaped coupling is preferably installed under compression with the U-shaped members biased toward each other so that if there is axial displacement and separation of the carburetor throttle shafts, the coupling can expand so the throttle shafts remain fully engaged within the U-shaped members of the coupling.
One of the principal features of this invention is the provision of a fuel supply assembly including carburetors with separate throttle shafts which may be axially offset or out of alignment, and a generally U-shaped coupling for flexibly coupling the throttle shafts for common rotation.
Another of the principal features of the invention is the provision of such a fuel supply assembly wherein the coupling is relatively inexpensive and includes a pair of legs each having a free end including a U-shaped member having a pair of arms with apertures for receiving one of the carburetor throttle shafts, and wherein one of the throttle shafts includes a flat which corresponds to a matching flat in the arm aperture of one of the U-shaped members, thereby controlling the arc which the coupling travels through as the throttle shafts rotate.
Another of the principal features of the invention is the provision of such a fuel supply assembly wherein the coupling is installed under compression with the U-shaped members biased toward each other so that if there is axial displacement and separation of the throttle shafts, the coupling can expand so that the throttle shafts remain fully engaged within the U-shaped members of the coupling.
Other features and advantages of embodiments of the invention will become apparent upon review of the following drawings, the detailed description and appended claims.